Utah women under the spotlight as flag carriers at Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo flag girl Kate Parkinson is shown in the arena during the grand entry one night at the championship rodeo. Parkinson is from Logan.
Some members of the 2016 flag girls team from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (from left to right) Cheyenne McGuire, Bailee Davis, Kate Parkinson, Mackenzie Maughan, and Ashley Allen. The posed with their outfits from the "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" night in honor of cancer research and survival.
Kate Parkinson, of Logan, was one of the flag girls at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Pictured are Angie Burton (top) and Carly Peercy. Both carried flags during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last week in Las Vegas.
Posing in the dressing room at the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo are flag girls Carly Peercy and Kate Parkinson.
This photo shows casual time for Utah women during a practice for flag girls at the 2016 National Finals Rodeo. Pictured are (from left to right) Carley Peercy, Kate Parkinson, Bailee Davis, Ashley Allen, MaKenzie Maughan and Angie Burton.
Pictured are all 20 of the regular flag girls who carried sponsor flags during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Missing is Miss Rodeo America 2016, Katherine Merck, and Angie Burton, who carried the American flag.
Pictured are 20 flag girls who rode during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and 2016 Miss Rodeo America, Katherine Merck, of Spokane, Washington, at Caesar's Palace.
Hooper resident Angie Burton is shown carrying the American flag during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In addition to carrying the flag, Burton is the director of a 22-member group of flag girls that are featured carrying sponsor flags every night during the world championship rodeo in Las Vegas.
Flag girls pictured in the dressing room during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo are: (Top row left to right) Stephanie Bailey, Harmony Latham, and Rebecca Dunn. (Middle Row left to right) Angie Burton, Katherine Merck (Miss rodeo America), and Madison Ward. (Bottom row left to right) Megan Caldwell, Nancy Garcilazo, Kate Parkinson, Kylie Frey, and Alex Ingram.
LAS VEGAS — For eight years, Hooper resident Angie Burton has been the woman to carry the American flag into the arena at the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Burton said the thrill of entering that arena, and especially holding the American flag in the spotlight, is addicting.
“That feeling never goes away,” Burton said. “I think it actually gets more amazing every year.”
Burton, 38, is one of 22 “flag girls” who carried sponsor flags and the American flag at the WNFR Dec. 1-10 this year. Eight of the flag girls, including Burton, were from Utah and joined the 10 cowboy competitors from Utah who qualified to compete in the WNFR event this year.
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Next year will mark Hooper’s 20th year carrying flags at the WNFR. For seven years, she’s also been the woman in charge of directing the flag girls.
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Wrangler National Finals Rodeo flag girl Kate Parkinson is shown in the arena during the grand entry one night at the championship rodeo. Parkinson is from Logan.
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Some members of the 2016 flag girls team from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (from left to right) Cheyenne McGuire, Bailee Davis, Kate Parkinson, Mackenzie Maughan, and Ashley Allen. The posed with their outfits from the “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” night in honor of cancer research and survival.
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Kate Parkinson, of Logan, was one of the flag girls at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
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Pictured are Angie Burton (top) and Carly Peercy. Both carried flags during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last week in Las Vegas.
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Posing in the dressing room at the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo are flag girls Carly Peercy and Kate Parkinson.
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This photo shows casual time for Utah women during a practice for flag girls at the 2016 National Finals Rodeo. Pictured are (from left to right) Carley Peercy, Kate Parkinson, Bailee Davis, Ashley Allen, MaKenzie Maughan and Angie Burton.
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Pictured are all 20 of the regular flag girls who carried sponsor flags during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Missing is Miss Rodeo America 2016, Katherine Merck, and Angie Burton, who carried the American flag.
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Pictured are 20 flag girls who rode during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and 2016 Miss Rodeo America, Katherine Merck, of Spokane, Washington, at Caesar’s Palace.
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Hooper resident Angie Burton is shown carrying the American flag during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In addition to carrying the flag, Burton is the director of a 22-member group of flag girls that are featured carrying sponsor flags every night during the world championship rodeo in Las Vegas.
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Flag girls pictured in the dressing room during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo are: (Top row left to right) Stephanie Bailey, Harmony Latham, and Rebecca Dunn. (Middle Row left to right) Angie Burton, Katherine Merck (Miss rodeo America), and Madison Ward. (Bottom row left to right) Megan Caldwell, Nancy Garcilazo, Kate Parkinson, Kylie Frey, and Alex Ingram.
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Hooper resident Angie Burton is shown carrying the American flag during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In addition to carrying the flag, Burton is the director of a 22-member group of flag girls that are featured carrying sponsor flags every night during the world championship rodeo in Las Vegas.
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Utah cowgirls who rode as flag girls at the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo are (from left to right) Paige Morgan, Kate Parkinson, MaKenzie Maughan, Jessica Lott, Carly Peercy, Ashley Allen, Bailee Davis. An eighth Utah woman was Angie Burton, of Hooper, who carried the American flag and served as the group’s director.
Each of the 10 nightly performances has a theme, and Burton said her favorite this year was “Canada Night.”
“It was just electric, the way people cheered,” she said. “Brooks & Dunn sang the national anthem. It is the loudest I ever heard that stadium. You just feel that energy when you are down there.”
Burton said that after some bad national attitudes circulating following the election, having that excitement was healing.
“We are always proud,” she said of rodeo fans. “It was just amazing, the coming together of two countries.”
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But she said the enthusiasm for America is there every night of the rodeo.
“They basically do a prayer before I walk into the arena,” she said. “They put the spotlight on me and they just cheer the moment they see the American flag.”
Burton, who reigned as Miss Rodeo Utah 1999, said carrying the American flag at the WNFR is a dream come true. She’d been working toward carrying it through behind-the-scenes rodeo involvement since she gave up her statewide rodeo title.
Story continues below the image.
Photo supplied/ Angie Burton
Hooper resident Angie Burton is shown carrying the American flag during the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In addition to carrying the flag, Burton is the director of a 22-member group of flag girls that are featured carrying sponsor flags every night during the world championship rodeo in Las Vegas.
She was running spotlight at a bulls and broncs show at the Golden Spike Events Center where college rodeo friend was on Shawn Davis’ rodeo team. That allowed her to talk to Davis. Shawn Davis now is general manager of the WNFR and supervises all productions. He is a former world champion saddle bronc rider.
“I mentioned something to Shawn that I would love to carry flags in Vegas,” she said. “That’s how it started. The rest is history”
Besides Burton, the other Utah women to carry flags at this year’s WNFR were Ashley Allen of Eagle Mountain, Bailee Davis of Pleasant View, Jessica Lott of Morgan, MaKenzie Maughan of Hooper, Paige Morgan of Provo, Kate Parkinson of Logan and Carly Peercy of South Jordan.
“It’s a huge honor to be in the same arena as the top cowboys and cowgirls,” Paige Morgan said. “Though we aren’t competing, I still get butterflies in my stomach every time ‘Viva Las Vegas’ fills the back alley. Flying around the arena in the opening and for lineup is the definition of a priceless feeling.”
Kate Parkinson said this year was her second as a flag girl.
Story continues below the image.
Photo supplied/ Angle Burton
Utah cowgirls who rode as flag girls at the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo are (from left to right) Paige Morgan, Kate Parkinson, MaKenzie Maughan, Jessica Lott, Carly Peercy, Ashley Allen, Bailee Davis. An eighth Utah woman was Angie Burton, of Hooper, who carried the American flag and served as the group’s director.
“The friendships that are developed are irreplaceable and it is so fun to meet so many different people,” she said. “There is definitely a feeling of family with those involved with the rodeo, and it’s an amazing experience to be a part of.”
Parkinson said realizing how hard the contestants worked to get to the championship rodeo is inspiring.
“They all worked so hard and sacrificed a lot to be where they are, and getting to be in the arena with them and feel their enthusiasm is so fun,” she said.
Maughan said she was “super excited” when she was asked to be a 2016 flag girl, even though it was her fourth year invited to the biggest rodeo of the year.
“We are behind the scenes and get to see all the cowboys and cowgirls preparing to compete,” she said.
You may reach reporter JaNae Francis at 801-625-4228. Follow her on Twitter at @JaNaeFrancisSE or like her on Facebook.